So, I'm almost finished converting and painting a Nurgle Rhino for my Death Guard army. I've spent ages on it. The only thing that bothers me is that every time I pick it up I have to touch part of the model, because tanks don't have bases. So I've been thinking about putting it on a base. Apart from giving me a less fragile point to hold onto, it would also let me model some more cool stuff onto the base.

Would you allow someone to use a Rhino tank with a base added on to it? The reason I'm worried about it is that it might be seen as modelling for advantage. Distances should be measured from the hull if there's no base, but I could make a base from plasticard or something and cut it to exactly the same size/shape as the Rhino, so that solves the distances problem. However, it would also make the model a teensy bit taller.

The height difference might seem like splitting hairs, but one of the most effective strategies for Rhinos seems to be using them to screen your army by blocking the enemy's line of sight. Park a rolling wall in front of your important units, so that they can't shoot them until they blow up the Rhino first. So having the Rhino even just a little bit taller could be a problem.

Would that bother you? In casual (but still Matched) play? In tournaments?

But also for people who play Bolt Action for example and feel vehicles look better if based to match an army or are used to single piece cast tanks that come attached to a large cast base.

We have multiple people who frequent the forums with laser cutters who can cut anything to size or just score and cut it yourself sheets are easily found at bunnings and your normal enamel primers work on MDF.

This post has been edited by VisOne: Aug 28 2017, 07:48 PM

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What I do: Chef by trade, arsehole by choice; but I play games and build the following when I'm not being either.

Not a dumb question It's Medium Density Fibreboard - basically, sheets of sawdust and glue... hardware stores sell it in sheets of various thicknesses, and it's very easy to cut and sand as it has no grain.

3mm MDF is a good option for bases, as it's pretty close to the thickness of GW's plastic model bases.

Not a dumb question It's Medium Density Fibreboard - basically, sheets of sawdust and glue... hardware stores sell it in sheets of various thicknesses, and it's very easy to cut and sand as it has no grain.

3mm MDF is a good option for bases, as it's pretty close to the thickness of GW's plastic model bases.

It can warp for larger bases, especially if you add PVA to one side to add texture etc to it. 3mm plywood might be a better option.

I was actually thinking about ~3mm thick plastic. That shouldn't warp, and it should last forever. Wouldn't even plywood get weak eventually, as it absorbs moisture from the air?

I don't suppose you know if or where I could find plastic like that? I suppose Bunnings would be a good place to start.

Plywood is less prone to warping because of how it is layered, but yes, it could potentially warp a bit too.

Plastic works. You can laser cut acrylic easily enough, or cut your own out of a softer plastic. Downside is that acrylic is somewhat more expensive than the MDF or plywood options. Other plastics probably aren't too bad price wise if you just want to cut your own out.

My apologies I made a silly assumption that MDF is in the day to day lexicon of hobbyist now.

QUOTE(Asuryan27 @ Aug 29 2017, 03:16 PM)

Okay, thank you both for the suggestions.

I was actually thinking about ~3mm thick plastic. That shouldn't warp, and it should last forever. Wouldn't even plywood get weak eventually, as it absorbs moisture from the air?

I don't suppose you know if or where I could find plastic like that? I suppose Bunnings would be a good place to start.

MDF warping is highly unlike on the size of bases your talking about. I have huge amounts of it around my place for terrain and bases and the only warping I have ever had is terrain I didn't paint that wasn't sealed fully with primer and was actually stored in a basement that got flooded.

Here for example are my recent bases and movement trays.

But moving right along one of the areas you can often find plastic like what you might want is actually signage things like your beware dog signs etc. 3mm thick is a bit harder you will probably find you end up with acrylic and again as mentioned getting one of out laser cutters to do it for you is much easier at that point.

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What I do: Chef by trade, arsehole by choice; but I play games and build the following when I'm not being either.